Welcome

In the center of our recent ‘circle’ (Gardeners of Peace conference call, Sept. 29, 2007), we could sense a deep desire for a community of heart-centered people who are alive, awake and able to connect on an essential level, with the ‘gardener within’ and together as a developing community. It is from this ‘opened space’ that the collective wisdom, heart and spirit will continue to grow and take shape. The Garden (Gardeners of Peace) provides the 'vessel' in which this growth will emerge, expand and ultimately bear 'fruits' of all kinds, and where you are invited to reflect privately or aloud with others.

You may ask, “What is this Gardening all about, and what is in it for me?” Please realize that only you have the answer to these questions, and only you know how to contribute to make this world we live in a better place. No one among the Gardeners is here to tell you what to do.

We hope that you will find meaning in these few lines of introduction, as well as in the invitation, and that you will feel called to join us in our active search for peace, in our active gardening of our lives and of our earth. Gardening can be a very meaningful activity and a potent metaphor – and a very simple one as well. It is an activity that allows us to reach and tap our deepest identity: human beingness.
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Friday, February 1, 2008

Harvest -- January 13, 2008 Conference Call

February 1, 2008
As harvested by Lenore. See below. Or download at: http://www.box.net/shared/a6d7bzq4gw

Harvesting Notes –
Gardeners of Peace Phone Council –
01.13.08


“How can we tap into the collective power of our hearts and become aware of our ‘real’ place in the world?”

“Whether you tend a garden or not, you are the gardener of your own being, the seed of your own destiny.”



The council was opened with a check in as to what brought people to the call and GoP:

- I am attracted to, in a simple way, the connection to the heart and soul
- Quote from Marcel Proust: “If a little dreaming is dangerous, then the cure is to dream more.”
- Dare to dream a little- wondered how this process would work out as we are usually problem solving groups. What else could the world be? What else is possible for us?
- I came to the call through a friend. I am a landscape architect, theatre before that. I help people create landscapes – am very spiritual. We are all changed by our conversations. I am familiar with circle work. The Native Americans (here in Southwest) use the talking piece as a ‘listening piece’- The speaker is being listened aloud.
- I am pleased to be on this call; am an Art of Hosting practitioner, interested in the power of place, and ‘breathing’ places.
- Congratulations (to GoP) for what you are doing. I am impressed by what you are doing to help others gather. What really made me think I would like to join is how positive you are- and how you hope for a positive world. In Rwanda, where I come from, this is lacking. It is vital to be with people who are positive. Important experiences in my life and heart have been when someone has told me that I helped inspire them- because I told her that we all have a mission in life and a reason we are here.
- Consistent theme in my life has been to listen with each other- the collective process/co-creation, where the unimaginable can come together. The edge- of not knowing. What will happen when we speak- this an edge for me. The garden is about seeds and flourishing; to dream together the most imaginable. I want to join more and more groups like this to participate in this collective process- that is emerging through us.
- When I received the invitation I was drawn to the call and message. I am not a gardener, but spiritual and want to create more peace in myself and in the worlds. Trying to get touch with my higher self and spiritual self. It’s always good to be with other positive people to help me/us hold the vision. The last few years I have been drawn from working with technology to working with people who are spiritual, healers, life coaching- still trying to get my mission in life and am getting there. I think this group will help me move forward.
- Thank you for inviting me to this collective group- a pleasure to listen and learn and to help.
- It’s great to be here- I agree with what has been spoken thus far. To be honest, one of my main interests is with a group I am involved with- Spiritual Progressives. There seems to be a lot of connection between the 2 groups. The interest is in dialoging about peace in the world. Drawn to our values, compassion, seeing the sacred in everyone on the planet. If you start with these values as opposed to political stands that can be divisive, you can share more with others- with their values. Spiritual progressives are helping me to develop my own inner energy (
www.spiritualprogressives.org).
- I joined late and heard the last 4 speakers; I am drawn to the GoP (Gardeners of Peace) because I am in an important transition in my life after years of working without an inner sense of peace. I want to understand how I can contribute to the exchange here.
- I have been on a spiritual path – a meaningful one. I would like to share a story: I traveled to Singapore a few weeks ago. On the flights out and back, we had similar experiences related to rules and authority. This is not a coincidence as I have been trying to “fight” rules and authority in my life. The airport security in Tokyo would not allow us to bring duty free liquor bought in Newark, NJ (bringing to family in the east). Although we talked to them (security), they said there was nothing they could do. My wife even talked to the boss - who thanked her for her ‘understanding’ and then kept the bottle. We experienced ‘facing a wall’. On the way back, transiting in Beijing, we were late (sort of) in checking back in and found that our seats had been given away. We were seated very far apart (after having had reservations- and traveling a long distance). The person at the checkout counter was Chinese and my wife spoke with her. She wouldn’t hear her about our being late. It made me think about how rules are directing our lives and as such, I see the Gardeners able to co-create their own organic (non-rule abiding) structure- to me, this experience reflects on how much progress the world needs to make to listen to itself - not just blindly listening to a so-called ‘higher authority.’

The question was spoken about the ‘power of our collective hearts’:

-When we move into our hearts we are more in a dreaming place- we can move into a deeper place- we don’t’ know what will happen but that is part of the collective power of our hearts.
- I had no idea what to expect when I came to this call- everyone who has spoken has added some richness for me. The question of our collective hearts- if others can be as open as those on this call- it’s a beginning. It begins with love and eventually pours in and out of the group. I dream of this as a way of life for everyone- the fertilization of our soul- we are not centered- we are disconnected. I am not sure what I can contribute but something will come to me – and add richness to my soul and to this.
- I have had a lot living in me from my last week’s hosting experience. When I began to work with the group (educational admistrators), I began to talk about the open heart and moving into the open heart. The hosting team wanted to go into this space, not afraid. But they worried that their 20-30 colleagues would say this is ‘soft and flaky’. They warned us to be careful- “people are not going to go for this”. Over the next few days, the open heartedness expanded. The simple question was asked: “What is the passion and heart that brought people into the room?” This created space for engagement- the pace can work with them and work with us. At the end of the time, people were in tears- expressions of shock that they would be so open hearted after so long of not doing this. Sometimes it’s the very simple things that have impact.
- I can see why my friend referred me to this group- I hear the story ‘what is the thread that you carry no matter what you do?’ And what are the seeds? Seeds have seed coats- the shedding of the coat is an ‘aggressive’ process- it experiences fire, ice, and then shed. When we are working at our own lives, and reach something difficult. It’s not just opening our hearts to other people- if you were to think about a seed or a thread- what is the thread that you carry?
- Thoughts about the ‘collective’ come to me. I think about the earth ripples – not just the people on the call, but more ripples- the more we are opening our hearts- the more others will. Gardeners of Peace appear to me today as a community to ‘be’ rather than a group to ‘do’ (the GoP). It’s a question of the world- being a garden in the world.
- What came to my mind regarding collective power of our hearts – was the most connected I feel to others is when I am intentional. I have done Reiki- and I can send something into this group- what I heard in the beginning was that everyone is at a different place of wanting to transform. Reiki helps others transform into what other ways they would like to be. Sending Reiki – is power from the heart.
- The GoP – are about ‘being’ not ‘doing’. It is a container, a vessel, not rigid, but porous.
- The last few speakers have talked about ‘being’ in our individual and collective capacities. At first I thought “that’s not very much”- but then I realize it is a big deal. “We need to be the peace we want to see in the world.”
- I would like to ask the question: - (Gilles): We would like to get together every month for a phone council. We would like to get together in person in the Spring. Is this of interest to everyone?
- I feel good energy about coming to a monthly meeting. I have a commitment in March, not sure where I will be- but will be open to this.
- It would be great to meet once a month. The in-person meeting would be great, but not sure able to do it- but will do the call.
- I would welcome a call at least once or twice a month – to build the field between us and among us and face to face would be great to plan so that as many people as possible could come.
- A monthly call would be great- and if possible hold a local face to face gathering for those able to come.
- We have expanded the potential here.
- I continue to carry strong feelings of what the purpose of such a gathering would be- relationship building? I’d like to call in the energetic purpose and possibility.

As we close here- a last breath – if you could share one word:
- Beauty
- Momentum
- Gratitude for the space of dreams
- Breathe- if you inhale and exhale there is space in between
- Appreciation for fellow Gardeners
- Positive intention
- Gratitude and inspiration
- Peace we want to be in the world
- Joy

Gilles- in closing: I would like to share a quote from the Findhorn community in Scotland:

“Whether you tend a garden or not, you are the gardener of your own being, the seed of your own destiny.”